The Centre Wellington budget committee’s endorsement of recommended grant approvals may leave some arts groups unhappy.
In his report to Centre Wellington councillors, financial manager Mark Bradey noted the draft budget proposed no change to the 2013 grant funding amount of $52,000.
However, he did note that the number of groups looking for grants – and the value of those grant requests – had gone up from 2013.
At that time, applications were made for grants totalling $24,611.
This year, 11 groups sought grants amounting to $30,600.
The township already has a number of annual grants to specific groups such as horticultural societies, service clubs (for Christmas parades), local Royal Canadian Legion branches and the Centre Wellington Food Bank.
Additional grants are reviewed according to the township’s grants policy on a case-by-case basis.
Some were approved conditionally, while other request amounts were dropped considerably as they asked for funding ineligible under the township policy – such as funding to attend workshops or for marketing.
In one instance, the Sensational Elora request of $5,000 was dropped to $2,400 because 2013 funds for a cancelled event were redirected to ineligible expenses, Bradey said in his report.
However, it was the late application from the Elora Arts council which generated the most discussion. The decision was left directly in the hands of the budget committee as to whether it should even accept the application as it was submitted after the application deadline had passed.
Even then the committee approved just $2,150 of the eligible expenses out of a $3,000 request.
More than one councillor suggested there should be some penalty for late submissions.
The item will likely come forward in a grant policy review later this year.
